Multi-instrumentalist Poole has carved out an impressively varied career as a composer, collaborator and solo pianist; here he teams up with a pair of legendary musicians, bringing between them the legacy of collaborations with everyone from Ayler to Braxton, for a set of inspired free improvisations. Peacock’s rich, full tone, speedy articulation and perfect intonation are in evidence right from the start, as are Crispell’s delicacy and sureness of touch; all the tunes except Peacock’s “Gary’s Theme” are spontaneously composed in the studio. Such is the empathy between the players that many of the titles have the measured feel of written compositions - “Ahzan” and “Isle Of Nowhere” are full of melodic phrases and subtle rhythmic elisions, and much of the album has a stately, elegaic feel, sometimes exploding into furious free dissonance as in “Dichotomy” before returning just as suddenly to contemplative stillness. Despite the imposing avante-garde credentials of all the participants, this is a very listenable record; Peacock in particular seems to create a memorable melody every time he plays, Crispell’s introduction to “Isle Of Nowhere” suggests all kind of harmonic possibilities, left intriguingly unresolved, and Poole even plays what sound very much like grooves on “In Motion” and “Gary’s Theme”. In addition, there’s a real unity of atmosphere between the disparate titles that speaks volumes about the coherence of the trio’s musical vision - the record has a real vibe that’s perfectly realised by the unobtrusive virtuosity of the participants. This is a record of exciting, exploratory modern music by three masters in the field, perfectly in tune with each other, and beautifully captured in a pristine recording in Chris Andersen’s Woodstock studio.

Reviewed by Eddie Myer

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